About Cocktails Matured in Oak - The 1850 (1L)
In 1981, Ansley Coale picked up a hitchhiker along Highway 101 just north of San Francisco. The hitchhiker — Hubert Germain-Robin — was of French origin and came from a family that had been producing cognac since 1782. As the two drove northward in Coale's car, Hubert spoke of his family's background in distillation. "Hubert wanted to distill using craft methods handed down for centuries from master to apprentice, "recalls Coale, who eventually teamed up with the hitchhiker to found Craft Distillers, which is located in northern California. After purchasing an antique still from an abandoned cognac distillery, Hubert and Coale built a redwood shed and began experimenting with different types of grapes growing in northern California. "The very first time that brandy distilled from pinot noir flowed from the still, Hubert took a long sniff from the sampling glass, turned to me, and said, "˜this is the finest I have ever experienced,'"recalls Coale.
Crafted by Germain-Robin and Coale, Fluid Dynamics' Mixed Drinks are unique, barrel-aged cocktails made from Germain-Robin Craft Method Alambic Brandy, together with other small-batch spirits. The brandy is made from Mendocino grapes, which are exposed to warm days and cool nights. As a result, the grapes have a signature, rich fruity flavor combined with considerable acidity. After the grapes are harvested early in the season to preserve acidity (the acidity contributes to the brandies structure and flavor), the grapes are pressed and fermented using Champagne yeasts, which slows fermentation and provides for a bolder flavor.
Germain-Robin Craft Method Alambic Brandy is a blend of six to eight year old brandy, with notes of pear, plums, apple and apricots. Enriched by solera-aging, the brandy has a sweet touch with subtle, fruity undertones.
Fluid Dynamics' The 1850 is a unique take on the classic Sazerac cocktail, which was conceived in New Orleans in the mid-nineteenth century. Made from a blend of Germain Robin Brandy, Low Gap Whiskey and a touch of Germain Robin Absinthe, the resulting blend is laid to rest in 55-gallon, American oak barrels before being bottled. This secondary aging process allows the blend to merge together and form a richer, more harmonious flavor.
Fluid Dynamics' The St. Nick is made from a blend of Germain Robin Brandy, together with Clear Creek Cranberry Liqueur. The liqueur is made using fresh, ripe cranberries that are grown by dedicated farmers along the southern Oregon coast. The liqueur has a tart and slightly sweet flavor profile, and is blended together with the brandy before being aged for approximately 15 days in oak casks.
Fluid Dynamics' The Saratoga is made from a blend of Germain Robin Brandy, Low Gap Whiskey and Vya Sweet Vermouth. The whiskey is born by fermenting malted Bavarian hard wheat, which has a high protein content, before double-distilling the wash through a 15-hectolitre cognac still. The whiskey has notes of buttery bread and biscuits, and earned the Artisan Whiskey of the Year Award from Whiskey Advocate in 2012. After the brandy, whiskey and vermouth are married together, the resulting blend is barrel-aged for two months before being bottled by hand.
The Fluid Dynamics set of barrel-aged mixed drinks are unique expressions of signature cocktails, made by using small batch spirits sourced from craft distilleries along America's Pacific coast. Pick up the set today!
About Cocktails
The history of cocktails dates back to the not-so-good days of prohibition when people started to mix drinks trying to make the homemade or bootlegged liquor drinkable.
But things have changed since then, and cocktails have become increasingly popular with modern pop culture, from classics like Martini, Old Fashioned, or Negroni, to the more festive versions like Margaritas and Mojitos becoming staples in most bars.
Check out our cocktail recipes and grab everything you need to become a mixologist, or simply grab one of the ready-made cocktails and enjoy!
